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Jim Forbes, member of the 1972 Summer Olympics basketball team that turned down the silver medal after a controversial loss to USSR, sits in the bleachers in Memorial Gym overlooking the court he played on with the Miners. Bel Air retires the No. 50 jersey in appreciation of Forbes, who played for the Highlanders and the former Texas Western College and now coaches at Andress High School. (Vanessa M Feldman / El Paso Times)

Jim Forbes at Bel Air High School (Special to the Times)

Bel Air High School will do something it has never done in honoring one of its greatest graduates and athletes.

Today, the school will retire No. 50 in appreciation of Jim Forbes, his achievements on the basketball court and off, and his impact on El Paso athletes. Forbes, former Texas Western College (now UTEP) standout and current Andress High coach, is the first player whose jersey Bel Air will hang in the trophy case.

The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. in the gym, followed by the Canutillo-Bel Air boys basketball game.

"It was a no-brainer," Bel Air coach Rob Dibler said. "You hope kids whenever they walk across that trophy case to see what's possible coming from El Paso and Bel Air High School."

Reporter Evan Mohl

Forbes is one of the best El Paso-area basketball players. At Bel Air, he helped win two straight district titles, earning All-City twice and a High School All-America honor.

Legendary coach Don Haskins recruited Forbes to Texas Western. No Miner has grabbed more rebounds than Forbes did as a sophomore.

Forbes was on the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team, where he was involved in arguably the most controversial game in basketball history. The U.S. appeared to have beaten the Russians, but twice officials put time back on the clock until Russia won 51-50. Forbes, the youngest player on the team, had hit a jumper late and was on the floor for the Russians' game-winner.

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That fall, Forbes injured a knee -- something he never truly recovered from -- but he still finished his UTEP career with two all-conference selections, and ranks in the Miner top 10 in double-doubles and rebounds per game. The Chicago Bulls drafted Forbes in the fourth round.

"Jim was really a special player," Haskins once said. "He could guard anyone ... . He was the best player on that Olympic team and he would have really had a long NBA career."

In 1981, Forbes became an assistant coach at UTEP before coaching at the high-school level, something he always wanted to do. He started at Riverside in 1984 and guided them to the Final Four in 1995. In 2004, he went to Andress, guiding the Eagles to the Sweet 16 in 2009.

"Great coach," former player Devin Simmons said. "He makes you a better person."

Forbes, who also teaches social studies, doesn't know how many wins he has, but it must be close to 500. As for students impacted, it's in the tens of thousands.

"I'm really honored," Forbes said. "This ranks right up there with everything."

Evan Mohl may be reached at emohl@elpasotimes.com; 546-6381. Follow him on Twitter @EvanMohl.

Forbes file

Who: Jim Forbes.

Background: 28 years coaching at Andress and Riverside (Final Four appearance); played at Bel Air High, winning two district championships, two All-City selections and High School All-American in 1970; member of the 1970-74 Texas"Western basketball team, where he still ranks top 10 in double-doubles and rebounds per game; UTEP Athletic Hall of Fame; El Paso Athletic"Hall of Fame; member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team; drafted by the Chicago Bulls.

Ceremony: Forbes will be honored at 7 p.m. today before the Bel Air-Canutillo game at Bel Air, 731 N. Yarbrough.